Barrett Foa, who plays Eric Beale in the hit TV series NCIS: Los Angeles, during a break from rehearsals of ‘The Music Man’ on campus. (Ken Best/UConn Photo)
Backstage at the Tony Awards earlier this year, Barrett Foa was talking with acclaimed Broadway star Terrence Mann and mentioned that he would be performing this summer as Harold Hill in the Nutmeg Summer Series production of “The Music Man.”
Mann, who spent the past two summers in Storrs acting in and directing in Nutmeg Summer Series productions staged by the Connecticut Repertory Theatre, told Foa he would enjoy the experience.
“He just lit up and told me: ‘You’re just going to have so much fun,’” says Foa, one of the stars of “NCIS: Los Angeles,” which will begin its fifth season in the fall.
“I feel comfortable here,” he adds. “The cast is incredibly talented. They’re supportive of me and I’m supportive of them. It’s a lovely and comfortable place to work.”
A veteran of Broadway musicals, Foa says that having the lead role in a production like “The Music Man,” which runs July 11-21 at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, presents a new challenge and greater responsibility, since his previous roles in other productions of the musical were as part of the ensemble.
“I’ve been in ‘The Music Man’ three times as a dancing teenager and I never thought I’d be old enough to play Harold Hill,” Foa said during a break from rehearsals last week. “I don’t know that Harold Hill has to be old. I think he can be in his 30s and at the peak of his game both in the way of getting away with conning these towns and sleeping with as many women as he possibly can in each one. If he’s at the apex, I think that gives it a sexier sheen to the whole show.”
Foa has performed in Connecticut before, including as Frederic in “Pirates!” at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, and as Claudio in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Hartford Stage.
Read the whole interview and hear parts of it on today.uconn.edu.
Congratulations to Barrett and the crew from The Connecticut Repertory Theatre for a successful two week run of the Music Man. We look forward to seeing you on stage again! Barrett flies back right after his final performance to start filming the first episode of the new season of NCISLA! Wishing Barrett a safe trip back and a a great time as he and the rest of the cast are set to begin Season Five!
